Preparing for (re)birth

I was having coffee with a friend recently, & she asked me what I'm most looking forward to about becoming a mother. The response immediately fell out of my mouth: meeting this little one. They’ve been such a big part of my life these last nine months; I can't wait to see the tiny human I’ve been dreaming about, & hold them in my arms. I'm in awe of them & their personality already - their strength, playfulness, empathy & boundaries. I know I’ll spend hours just sitting there & staring at them, & it’ll be one of the greatest pleasures of my life to watch them grow throughout their life.

But later that day, while in deep meditation during acupuncture, I realized I was also excited to meet a new version of myself. I feel like I've changed, & still am, so much. After a turbulent second trimester, I've noticed a settling into my bones, working through anxieties & patterns I've struggled with my entire life, feeling more grounded & empowered with each story I rewrite & release. Even in the moments I'm filled with doubt & fear, overwhelmed with physical discomfort & pain, I'm able to recenter & come back to myself with (relative) grace. I have a sense of clarity & peace I've never experienced before, filled with creativity & ease. I'm winding down, moving slowly, trusting things to unfold in due time. As much as I'm giving birth to a new soul, I feel like I, too, am going through a rebirth, & I'm curious to see what I'm like on the other side of this transition.

I've decided to take some extra time between now & when our babe is due to settle deeper into this process. While we've gathered all the supplies we need for our home birth, there's still so much to do to prepare for their arrival - meals to prep & freeze, little garments & blankets to make, closets to organize, & many bodywork appointments to attend. I've just delivered the last collection of treasures to Bertie’s General Store (including a few one-of-a-kind botanically dyed scarves!) & I'm officially done work until this Spring! Pieces in The Shop all say sold out, but you can sign up for the waitlist for handmade garments you’re dreaming about to be notified when they’re available again. I may pop onto Substack occasionally, writing to remember & process this time in my life, & connect with this creative outlet that keeps me feeling full - you can subscribe there to be notified when I share something new. 

Thank you for being here. Take good care & hold your loved ones (& your own dear heart) close. 

With love,

Brittney